Apparatus for washing sand, gravel, auriferous alluvia, or the like.



No 740,887. PATENTED OCT. 6, 1903.

I P. MAURICE. APPARATUS FOR WASHING SAND, GRAVEL, AURIPEROUS ALLUVIA, ORTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1902. v

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIGEQ Wlnesses jlwemar PATENTED 0GT.6,1903. MAURICE. I APPARATUS FORWASHING SAND, GRAVEL, AURIFEROUS ALLUVIA, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25 1902. E0 MODEL. I 5 HHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 740,887. PATENTED OCT. 6, 1993. P. MAURICE.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING SAND, GRAVEL, AURIFEROUS I ALLUVIA,-0R THE LIKE.

APPLICATION IILBD NOV. 25. 1802. N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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P. MAURIGR APPARATUS POR WASHING SAND GRAVEL, AURIFEROUS ALLUVIA, QRLIKE.

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PATENTED 06?. 6,1903.

-P. MAURICE. v APPARATUS FOR WASHING SAND, GRAVEL, AURIFEROUS ALLUVIA,OR; THE LIKE. APPLIQATION HLBQ IIGV. 25, 1902.7

N0 MODEL. I

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UNITED STATES iatented bcteber 6, 1909;.

PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL MAURICE, on ST. ETIENNE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 LA socnirnNOUVELLES nus ETABLISSEMENTS DE LHORME ET on LA BUIRE, OF LYONS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING SAND, GRAVrlL, AURlFEROUS ALLUVIA, OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 740,887, dated October6, 1903.

Application filed November 25, 1902. Serial No. 132,722. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PAUL MAURICE, en-' gineer, a citizen of the Republicof France,

" special treatment of sand, gravel, auriferous device.

alluvia, and the like of the centrifugal washing apparatus patented byPaul Maurice October 17, 1899, No. 634,987.

In order that the present invention may be readily understood andcarried'into effect, I will describe the same fully with reference tothe accompanying drawings, which represent two forms of apparatus forwashing auriferous alluvia for the purpose of eliminating nearly all thewaste or useless matters and to concentrate the precious materialinto avery small volume.

Figures 1 and 2 represent, respectively, in

-elevation'and plan the first arrangement of washing device. Fig. 3 is asection, on an enlarged scale, taken on the'line A B of Fig. 1. Figs. 4,5, and 6 represent, respectively, in central section, side view, (partsectioned,-) and plan the second modification of washing Fig. 7 is acentral section, on an enlarged scale, of the washing vessel and of thedistributing-funnel; and Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on line CD of Fig. 7.

The materials to be treated are conducted by a strainer or an automaticdistributor 1 onto an oscillating table 2, which receives motion by aconnecting-rod 3, operated by an eccentric on an axis 4. This latterre-v ceives motion by means of a pulley 5 and a belt 6, connected withthe source of power by the pulley 5 and belt 29.

The oscillating table 2 comprises a receiver 7, closed at the back andinto which the material falls from the strainer 1. The bottom of saidreceptacle 7 is horizontal and is prolonged by a plain flat plate 8,terminated by a projection 9, of suitable height, occupying the breadthof the table, this flat plate constituting the principal part of thetable, properly speaking. The flat table is continued, by a grating 10,of wire-gauze, either fixed to the casing or movable, which is extendedto the opposite extremity. The materials which traverse the wire-gauzeare received into a hopper 11, forming one piece with the oscillatingtable, which discharges them into a fixed funnel 12, by which they aredirected into the washer, properly speaking. The extremity of thisfunnel or hopper is removable for facilitatingthe working.

The oscillating table 2 is carried by springs 13. It has for its objectto make a first classification and to reject the too voluminouselements. These materials are thrown back by a hopper or funnel 14,while the finer materials traverse the sieve and pass into the washer.-A conduit 15, with transverse inclined perforations 16 and 17,continually pours jets of water on the two parts of the oscillatingtable.

The washer, properly speaking, is compose of a funnel 18 and acentrifugal vessel 19, curved inwardly at its upper part for the purposeof preventing the precious materials from escaping. The centrifugalvessel carries at its center a hollow cylinder 20, in which is engagedthe motor-shaft 21, towhich it is rigidly fixed by means of a key 22.This shaft 21 turns at its lower portion in a hearing 23, carried by asupport 24, fixed to the framework of the apparatus, and it receives itsmovement by means of bevel gear-wheels 25and 26 and by pulleys 27and 28,connected by a strap 29. The cylinder 20 is provided with a boss 30 inthe form of an annular enlargement, which restricts the opening orpassage into the vessel 19. This latter may be either solidat its lowerpart, Fig. 3, or pierced with four openings 31, Figs. 4, 5, 7, and 8,designed to empty the treated materials. In this latter case theseopenings are closed by leather plugs 32, carried by a steel with anopening engaging witha hook 36, arranged on the exterior of thewashing-table. When the apparatus is putin motion, the centrifugal forcetends to separate the plate 33 in a degree proportionate to the speed ofthe device.

The funnel 18 is cast with two lugs 37 and 38, Fig. 7, adapted tosupport abent metallic rod 39, which a spring 41 causes to pressconstantly against the interior wall of the table in order to produce acontinual agitation of the materials to be treated, which tend to ascendto the upper part of the apparatus. A hook 42, abutting against thefunnel, facilitates the putting in place of the agitator. By reason ofthe rotation imparted to the axis or shaft 21 the materials contained inthe vessel 19 are thrown against the tronconical walls of this vesseland tend to raise themselves, following the greatest diameter, while thewater and the waste or useless sands and other material are thrown backto the upper part of the vessel and escape therefrom into a reservoir43, where they are raised by means of a Persian wheel 44 or otherconvenient device. When there is plenty of water, the materials can beevacuated directly by means of an appropriate outlet.

When the operation is finished, the mechanism is stopped, and in caseswhere the apparatus is provided with a plain table of the typerepresented in Fig. 3 the key 22 is disengaged and the vessel 19, raisedby hand or by means of a hook and tackle, engaged in the ring oranalogous device 45, and the precious materials are taken out by anyappropriate means. In large apparatus, Where one can use the vesselprovided with openings at its lower part, the emptying is effected bymeans of the arrangement represented in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. Thisarrangement consists of mounting above Water-reservoir 43 asupportingplate 46, on which is fixed the system of control, consistingof a pulley 47, receiving its movement from the pulleys motive power andon the axis of which is mounted a toothed wheel 48, engaging with apinion 49, whose axis carries at its other extremity a bevel gear-wheel50, meshing with a bevel-wheel 51, mounted on the axis 21, which causesthe vessel 19 to revolve.

The axis 52 of the toothed Wheels 49 and 50 is carried by two hollowcylinders 53 and 54, capable of being displaced longitudinally by twocolumns 55 and 56 by means of an arrangement of a rack 57, on whichturns a pinion 58, the said pinion and its fiy-wheel being in one piecewith the hollow cylinder 53. If desired, this arrangement may bereplaced by a screw fulfilling the same object.

The cylinder 53 carries at its lower end a ribbed arm 60, which servesto support the funnel 18. The column 56 traverses with gentle frictionthe plate 46, and its lower end is designed to move as on a pivot. Aplate 61, supported upon said plate 46, carries the column '56, attachedthereto in such a manher that said plate 61 and the parts carriedthereby can move around the axis of the column 56 as its pivot, so as toassume the position seen in dotted lines in Fig. 6. 62 is a sectorforming an exterior projection of the plate 46. In this manner once thewashing ceases it will only be necessary to raise the cylinders 53 and54 and operate the wheel 59 to raise the funnel 18 and the vessel 19 outof the reservoir of water and then to cause the column 55 to pivotaround the column 56 to disengage the funnel and the vessel, which willbe led outside the washer. The cylinders may then be made to descend andthe vessel 19 will come to rest in its proper position. The cylinder 20can be disengaged from the shaft 21 by raising the key 22, when anewvessel may be affixed in position. The plate 33, carrying the plugs 32,can be raised, and the emptying will take place automatically into thereceptacles, which are arranged for that purpose. The washer may bemounted permanently or on movable trucks with or without a motor.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotativevessel inclined inward at its upper part with an agitator comprising acurved rod stretched by a spring affixed to a funnel depending withinsaid vessel, and means for emptying said vessel.

2. In a device of the character described, a rotative vessel, a shafttherefor, a funnel extending within said vessel, a substantiallyvertically-disposed rod carried by the funnel, a spring on said rod, arod mounted on said rod and having a portion parallel with the walls ofthe vessel, a spring around the firstmentioned rod and acting on thelast-mentioned rod to urge it constantly againstthe interior wall ofsaid vessel.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a'rotative vessel, of a funnel extending downward therein, an agitatorcomprising a curved rod and a spring acting thereon and aftixed to thefunnel and depending within said vessel, said vessel having acylindrical portion to receive its shaft, and arranged coaxially withinthe funnel, and a boss on said cylindrical portion Within the funnel.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with arotative vessel, of a funnel extending downward therein, said vesselhaving a cylindrical portion to receive its shaft, and arrangedcoaxially within the funnel, a boss on said cylindrical portion withinthe funnel, and an agitator carried by the funnel and comprising acurved rod stretched by a spring affixed to the funnel and disposed forcooperation with the inner wall of said vessel.

5. In a device of the character described, a rotative vessel havingoutlets, closures for said outlets and a spring-band encircling saidvessel and. carrying said closures, and means one being mounted to turnas upon a pivot and to serve as an axis of rotation for both, a I 5 pairof hollow cylinders mounted for vertical movement upon said columns, avessel, and a funnel for cooperation therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set, my hand, in presence of twosubscribing wit- :0 nesses, this 10th day of November, 1902.

PAUL MAURICE.

Witnesses:

J EAN GERMAIN, GUILLAUME Proonn.

